In selected fields of life sciences research, including for example biological, biomedical, genetic, fermentation, aquaculture, agricultural, forensic and environmental research, there may often occur the need to identify nucleic acids, qualitatively and quantitatively, in pure solutions and in biological samples. Such applications may benefit from fast, sensitive, and selective methodologies for detecting and/or quantifying nucleic acids of interest.
In particular, it may be helpful in some research venues to provide molecular species that at least somewhat selectively stain DNA even in the presence of RNA. That is, the probe or reagent may permit the researcher to distinguish DNA present in a sample from RNA in the same sample.